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Yoko Miwa & Mikayla Shirley
Biographie Yoko Miwa & Mikayla Shirley
Yoko Miwa
is an internationally acclaimed jazz pianist, composer, educator, and bandleader whose powerful combination of virtuosity, lyricism, and swing has made her one of the most respected voices in contemporary jazz. Born in Kobe, Japan, Miwa began as a classical pianist before discovering jazz and eventually earning a full scholarship to Berklee College of Music, where she later joined the faculty and became one of the institution’s most popular piano professors.
Leading the acclaimed Yoko Miwa Trio, she has performed at major venues including New York’s Blue Note Jazz Club, Birdland, and Lincoln Center, and has appeared with artists such as Arturo Sandoval, Esperanza Spalding, Sheila Jordan, and Kevin Mahogany. She was named Jazz Artist of the Year at the 2019 Boston Music Awards and is a Yamaha Piano Artist.
Her recordings include In the Mist of Time (2000), Fadeless Flower (2002), Canopy of Stars (2004), The Day We Said Goodbye (2006 and 2026), Live at Scullers (2011), Act Naturally (2012), Pathways (2017), Keep Talkin’ (2019), and Songs of Joy (2021), which reached No. 1 on the national jazz radio charts.
Yoko, praised by the late Ahmad Jamal and admired for her ability to combine dazzling technique with emotional depth, continues to captivate audiences worldwide while mentoring the next generation of jazz musicians.
Mikayla Shirley
is a rising jazz vocalist, songwriter, and performer whose warm tone, expressive phrasing, and gift for storytelling have quickly made her a standout voice on the Boston jazz scene. A student at the Berklee Global Jazz Institute, Shirley has earned recognition for performances that blend the elegance of classic jazz singing with a fresh, contemporary sensibility. Critics have praised her ability to draw audiences into each song, noting a vocal style that reflects the influence of jazz greats while remaining distinctly her own.
A frequent collaborator with acclaimed pianist Yoko Miwa, Shirley has appeared with the Yoko Miwa Trio at leading venues throughout New England and beyond, developing a musical partnership rooted in lyrical interpretation, swing, and emotional connection. Their performances together have become a highlight of Miwa’s recent concert appearances, including engagements at Regattabar and other prominent jazz venues.
